ICP-MS Determination of Trace Amounts of Rare Earth Elements in Monomineralic Rocks of Rutile

A method of ICP-MS for the determination of trace amounts of rare earth elements in monomineralic rocks of rutile was proposed. Sample was fused with Na2O2, and the melt was dissolved in water. Rare earth elements were separated and enriched by H-cation exchange resin using H2O2 to complex Ti. The interferences of the matrix elements were eliminated by internal standard. Detection limits of the method (3s/k) found were in the range of 0.001-0.062 μg·L-1. The proposed method was applied to the determination of rare earth elements in 13 samples of rutile, giving RSD′s (n=13) less than 3.0%.